Playtesting Portal: A Page for Game Devs Requesting Feedback
Current situation: Games are published through Projects and updates, where people can leave comments. So the functionality needed for playtesting is already there. However, I think it would be useful to have a tool that focuses people’s attention on games that need testing and helps them formulate useful feedback.
My suggestion: Something like mirka.theodorik.cz/playtest.html
Testers can browse the games, playtest them, and then add their feedback as comments.
Because we do not yet know whether people would actually use this, I suggest managing the page by (my) hand for a while. Let us first see whether there is enough interest.
One question: How can we regularly remind people that the Playtesting Portal exists and that playtesting is welcome?
A possible future idea: If there are many games and a lot of playtesting, testers could receive Recess Coins for high-quality feedback, because thorough playtesting is hard work. However, that would require more complex programming. For now, my main goal is simply to draw attention to games that need feedback.
Note: In the prototype, I included not only games from Projects but also some Challenges, so there would be more content to explore. However, I am not sure whether the creators of those games actually want them to be playtested. It is just an example.
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Comments11
Mirka M.
Jun 28
SORRY - bad category (this is not a bug report). I am not able to delete the post.
Christopher Bulu
Jun 29
No problem! It is really easy to switch. This is an awesome idea and I am excited to talk about it at the feedback meeting!
Mirka M.
Jun 29
Thanks! :) Meanwhile, I reposted this to the proper category. I am SO SORRY again :) Please delete the redundant post.
It's great that you see the potential. There are not that many games being published right now. I routinely go through Projects and Challenges to collect interesting information for the Recess Newsletter. Because of that, I can easily notice new entries and manage the Portal by hand (adding games) if there isn't the capacity to implement this in the near future. Just saying! :)
Christopher Bulu
Jun 30
ohh I might take you up on this offer!
Christopher Bulu
Jul 9
From the feedback meeting. This is SO COOL.
We think that this is an “extra feed” that could make things more complicated. We would like this idea to be integrated into the projects page/feed.
a poster could check a box for “give me feedback”
this would show an indicator that asks similar questions to Mirka’s example and submits feedback to the developer (this could use the same UI as challenge feedback)
Mirka M.
Jul 12
Glad this is planned!
The “Request Feedback” option and playtesting questionnaire sound good. When a developer clicks “Request Feedback,” you could show something like:
IMPORTANT: Use the project description to be very specific about what testers should focus on. What would you like to know? For example: “Is Level 3 too difficult now?” or “Are the controls clear?”
Not having a dedicated page or “Playtesting Portal” seems suboptimal to me, because playtesting takes time. When people are simply scrolling through the feed, they may not have time to playtest at that moment, and then they forget about it. That is basically the current situation: developers can already publish games and ask for feedback, but those posts quickly get buried.
A dedicated list of games currently requesting playtesting would help focus attention. For example, it could be promoted through a playtesting event during Community Hour or an occasional feed post saying, “Visit the playtesting list and give feedback.”
Over time, this list could also become a portfolio of Recess games.
But I agree that the “Request Feedback/feedback questionnaire” are the right first step. Then we can see whether there are actually enough games waiting to be playtested. :)
Christopher Bulu
Jul 13
Agreed with that shortcoming.. Maybe the projects page has a tab for games that are listed as playtesting games? The feedback group’s main concern was adding a whole new page/domain to Recess since we are currently trying to simplify/cut things down
Mirka M.
Jul 13
ok sounds good. thanks
Mirka M.
Jul 12
One thing I am not sure about is whether the feedback should be public.
Public feedback, similar to comments on projects, could give other people examples of how to write useful feedback. I am curious whether testers will be able to make their feedback positive, specific, and constructive, as this will probably involve a learning curve. Guides or older kids could model good feedback, so making it public could be helpful.
Did you mean that the feedback should be private? That also has its advantages.
Christopher Bulu
Jul 13
Oh yeah.. I think feedback probably should not be public at first. Or maybe the developer of the game decides if they want to publish each feedback submission?
Mirka M.
Jul 13
Hard to predict what is better.
Intuitively I lean to exact opposite: the more public comments, the more people add their own perspective (known from social media..) and this is the goal (motivate people to playtest and express themselves). If the comments are not polite, focus on modelling good feedback. Also the project’s author could opt out (hide specific, maybe too harsh? comment). Also proper playtesting is a hard work. Maybe you want to be “recognised” for your work / at least that it is visible,…
But IDK. The playtesting of the playtesting is needed :)